Apparatus for automatically flushing sewers



March 14, 1933.

H W. JEWELL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FLUSHING SEWERS Filed April 18, 1931 v Inventor Attorneys Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED-ST res HOWARD W. JEWELL, 0] LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 'ArrAnA'rns roa AUTOMATICALLY rnusnme sEwnns Application filed. April 18, 1931. SerialNo. 531,135.

, This invention relates to a means for automatically flushing sewers and isparticularly directed to a means whereby the flushing operation may be carried out most eiiectively 5 by a quantity of water or other liquid discharged into the sewer at a substantially constant, high pressure.

The invention is also directed toward a very simple form of apparatus by means of which sewers may be automatically flushed periodically. q 7

' The invention particularly relates to a form of flushing apparatus which is characterized by the absence oi moving parts, the absence of corrosive units or elements, and the absence of delicately balanced equipment which might give rise to periods of inaction. Heretofore, flushingsystems have been employed for the purpose of periodically re- 9 moving accumulated solid matters from sewage mains in which the natural rate of flow was sufiiciently low to permit the accumulation of such solid matters. Apparatus designed for these purposes heretofore necessitated either the use of tripping buckets, valves. or other equipment which required frequent inspection and repair in order to maintain in operative conditionr Further- F more, prior devices for thepurposeshereinbefore stated were incapable of discharging appreciable quantities of water or other liquid into a sewer at a fairly constant heail or pressure. For example, one of the well a known forms of automatic flushers for sewage systems consistsof a tank with a valved aperture at its bottom,-said aperture communicating with a sewer. A pea-stream of water or other liquid was supplied to such tank and as the water rose to a predetermined level in such tank, it finally caused a float to actuate the valve positioned at the bottom aperture, such valve opening and permitting the water to run into the sewer.

,h. In such devices, there is a high initial head or pressure buta's the water level dropsin the tank, the head decreases proportionately and as a result, only the first few gallons of water discharged into the sewer are discharged under a head suitable for the purnose oi scouring, flushing and cleaning the sewer. The remainder and major portion of the water is discharged at such a low head as to be substantially,ineffective.

As has been stated hereinbefor'e, devices of this nature are also objectionable in view of the difficulty of maintaining the valves, floats, pulleys, linkages, etc., in operative condition, particularly when such parts are exposed to sewage gases. 1

This invention is partlcularly directed toward an apparatus composed of substantially indestructible, non-corrodible materials and free from'moving metallic parts or del- V icately balanced portions of apparatus, so that the disadvantages of prior devices are entirely non-existent. The. invention furthermore is directed toward a form of device which discharges large quantities of water into sewers at any desired and predetermined head or pressure which is substan 79 tially constant during the discharge "of the entire quantity of flushing liquid.

' An object of this invention is to disclose and provide a simple and effective apparatus for automatically and periodically flush- (75 ingsewers. I r

-Another object is to'disclose and provide a simple and effective device for continuously admitting a small quantity or stream ofliquid into a reservoir orreceptacle. m

A stillfurther objectofthisinvention is to disclose and provide an automatic surcharging type of "siphon for. periodically flushing sewers and the like. f iv A-still further object-*of this invention.- is to disclose and. provide an arrangement of elements of a non-corrodible character whereby sewers and the like may auto matically and periodically flushed.

These and otherobjects, uses, advantages 5 and characteristics of the invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of one preferredform of the invention, it bei ing understood that the subsequently de-3 scribed forms "are merely illustrative of the to the specific forms, described. 7 p

In describing th' ,nVent'on,referencewill in be had to the appended drawing, inwhich invention, the invention not being limited. 1

Fig. 1 more or less diagrammatically illustrates in vertical section a sewer equipped with an apparatus embraced by this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the bleeder employed in Fig. 1.

In general, the apparatus of this invention requires a reservoir for liquid, means for constantly supplymg a small quantity of liquid to such reservoir, a tank positioned beneath said reservoir, and a siphon adapted to discharge the content-s of said tank into a sewer.

As shown in the drawing, the underground chamber 1 may be provided with a suitable fitting 2 having a cover 3. Positioned in the chamber leis an S-shaped siphon provided with a relatively long vertical leg 10, a-short downwardly directed portion 11 connected to the upper end of said leg-10 and a short upwardly directed portion 12 connected to the lower end of said leg 10. For purposes. of illustration, the siphon is shown made-of three vitrified clay portions, A, B and C, provided wth suitable bell ends adapted to form joints filled with a suitable waterproofing sealing substance, such as tar or pitch, indicated at 13 and 14. The lower outlet port 15 of the S- shaped siphon. may be connected in any suitable manner with a sewer 16. as, for example, by means of an L-shaped fitting 17.

The chamber 1 maybe provided with a substantially horizontal partition 4: adapted to form a tank D above such partition or fioor 4. The downwardly extending short leg 11 of the S-shaped siphon may terminate at a point slightly above the floor 4 of the tank D;

If desired,'however, instead of employing a floor 4 through which the long vertical leg 10 of the siphon extends, the lower portion of the manhole 1 may be filled with rocks and gravel up to a level substantially equivalent to the level ofthe floor 4, the rocks and gravel supporting the S-shaped siphon in position Positioned above the tank D and above the top of the siphon, is a reservoir 18 for liquid. The reservoir 18 may be provided with means that constantly supply a peastream of liquid thereinto; such means, for example, may include a water line 19 connected to a suitable source of water,'said water line 19 terminating in adownwardly directed nipple. 20, said nipple being provided with a'plug 21, said plug 21 being provided with a Small diameter aperture 22. Extending through the aperture 22 is a stiff wire 23 provided with "a loop, button or cross piece member 24 within the nipple 20.

The'plug 21 may also carry a yoke 25 provided with an aperture 26 in alignment with the aperture 22, the wire 23 also'extending through the aperture'26. Connectedto the lower end of the wire 23 is a suitable float 27, said float 27 being adaptedto ride upon the surface of the water or other liquid in the reservoir 18. The rise and fall of liquid in the reservoir 18 will thereafter cause the wire 23 to move through the apertures 26 and 22, thus maintainingsaid apertures openand preventing the accumulation of slime and other foreign matter in such apertures.

The reservoir 18 is preferably provided with a siphon adapted to discharge the contents of such "reservoir 18 into the tank D in the upper portion of the manhole 1. Such siphon, for example, may include a short leg 28 within the reservoir 18 and a longer discharge leg 29. The outlet 30 of the siphon leg 29 ,preferably terminates at a point above the top of the S-shaped siphon and particularly above themember A thereof. V

The S-shaped siphon consisting of the long vertical leglO and the short end legs 11 and 12 is preferably of large diameter so asto be able to quickly dischargev the contents of the tank D, The siphon consisting of the legs 28 and 29 should preferably be of a size adaptedto quickly discharge the contents of the tankor reservoir 18 into the tank D. For example, the siphon consisting of the legs 28 and 29 should have a capacity equivalent toabout ten times the rate at which the pea-stream is discharged into the reservoir 18. V r The operation of the device and further details thereof, will be apparent from the subsequent description. If, for example, it be assumed that there is no liquid in the system whatsoever, then the peasstream discharging into the reservoir 18 will cause the water level in the reservoir 18 to rise slowly until it reaches a level indicated by the line 35. q

The pea-stream willthen continue to discharge into'the reservoir 18 but such added liquid will be continuously discharged through the discharge leg 29 of the siphon from the reservoir 18 into the tank D in the upper portion of the chamber 1, The water level will thus continue to rise in the tank D and within the downwardly directed short leg 11 of. the S-shaped siphon until a level 36 is reached withinthe tank D and within the short leg. 11 of the -S-shaped siphon. Thereafter, water will slowly drop down along thei'vertical leg 10 of the S- shaped siphon until a quantity of water accumulates in the lower member C of the S-shape'd siphon, reaching a level indicated by the line 37. Thereafter, the water level will continue to rise in the tank D until the level 38 is reached in said tank D, said level being just below theoutlet30 of the discharge leg 29 from the reservoir 18. i During the rise of water level in tank from level 36 to level 38, the water level within the long leg 10 oithe S-shaped siphon would have dropped from 37 to 39, the air within the longleg 10 having been compressed by the rise in head in the tank D.

As the water level 38 SlOVtlY rises the tank D, it will finally reach the level of the discharge port 30 of the discharge leg 29 and as soon as a seal has been made between the water level 38 and such discharge port 30, the pea-stream of liquid from the reservoir 18 will build up a water'level to some point such as is indicated at l within the discharge leg 29. The water level within the leg 29 will be built up to a point sulficient to overcome the sealing effect oi the level 38 in the discharge port 30 and will finally overcome such sealing effect and discharge quickly. This might happen once or twice and then it will be found that enough water will accumulate in the discharge leg 29 so that when it rushes downwardly into the tank D after having overcome the sealing eflect at the discharge port 30, it will create suificient suction behind'it to start the siphon from the reservoir 18. the siphon including the legs 28 and 29, is started, then the water or other liquid from the reservoir 18 will immediately and quickly discharge into the tank D, raising the waterlevel therein from the level 38to a level indicated at 4:1. This rapid rise in head within the tank D is sufiicient to overcome the air pressure within the long vertical leg of the S-shaped siphon, and

such surcharge will cause the air contained in the long vertical leg 10 to be quickly discharged through the upwardly directed l0wer leg 12 and the connecting member 17 into the sewer 16, this discharge of air under pressure being immediately followed by a discharge of all of the water from tank D into the sewer 16.

The entire contents of tank D are thus quickly siphoned out by means of the S- shaped siphon into the sewer, such discharge being accompanied with a preliminary charge of compressed air which exerts a very effective scouring action upon the sewer. Furthermore, the entire body of water from the tank D is discharged under a pressure or head equivalent to the distance between the level 37 and the floor 4 of the tank D.

As soon as the water level in tank D drops to a level indicated by the line 42, air will be sucked in through the sniff hole 14, terminating the discharge of water from the tank D. The pea-stream will continue, filling the reservoir 18 until the water level reaches 35, and the operatlon described here- .inabove will be repeated. It is to be noticed,- however, that after the discharge of the fluid from tank D, the lower member C of the S- shaped siphon contains residual water so siphon.

As soon as.

that .a liquid seal 'is formed in such S-shaped By regulating the size of the'pewhdle 22, the time betweensuccessive flushing operatiens may be readily controlled.

In actual practice, it has been found that where the S-shapedsiphon consisting of the membersA, B and C is 8 inches in diameter and the'tank D contains 300 gallons immediately prior to :a flushing operation, the

entire .300 gallons is forcibly ejected into the sewer 16 in about '16 to 17 seconds. The

. reservoir 18 should preferably have a 'capacity of not less than about twice the volume o't'jthe vertical leglO of the S-shaped siphon. For example, when the vertical leg 10 of the'TS-shaped siphon has. .a capacity of '10 gal-lons,the' reservoir 18 should preferably be capable of quickly discharging more than 20 gallons, the devices actually in operation in accordance with this invention employing a reservoirtank18*built to discharge about 3'0 gallens under similar conditions.

1 The siphon consisting of the legs .28 and 29 should be able to discharge the reservoir 18 into the tank D at :a rate exceeding that at which liquid may spill over the upper and inner edge of the member A of the S-shaped siphon into the vertical leg 10, so as to give rise to the surcharge effect-necessary to set the s shaped siphon into operation.

Given an S-shaped siphon of 8 inches in diameter and 300 gallons of water in tank 7 D and 30 gallons o'fcwater in reservoir 18, the siphon 2829 is preferably made of about 1 inch pipe. Q In order to facilitate cleaning of the :device, a plug may be formed in the connecting member 17 A trap door or suitable clesure member 51 may. be providedi-n the floor 4 to permit access to the plug 50. a If desired, a conduit may extend from theport 52 therein to a point within the tank D, such conduit being closed by a suitable plug w'itln in, the tank D so that ready access may be hadto the-lower curved portion of the siphon. a f 1 Q It will thus be seen that means have been provided whereby a sewer or the like may be periodically and automatically flushed by a 1 relatively large volume of liquid under a pressure head orv pressure. The apparatus disclosedhereinabove is characterized by its great simplicity .and. fool-proof operation. No water is wasted and the maximum efliciency'is attained from the quantity of water used. The 'deviceis particularlyetfective in districts wherewater is at "aypremium. It ist-o be understood that the pea-stream need not be composed of pure water. Instead, it may consist of waste eflluent frommysuit able source. e r

I claim:

nation; of a, reservoir, automatic siphon 51.,111 a sewerflushing' system, thel combimeans for periodically discharging liquid contents of said reservoir, conduit means for liquid leading into said reservoir and terminating in a downwardly directed conduit portion, a cap provided with a small aperturecarried by the end of said conduit portion, a rod loosely and slidably positioned in said cap aperture and extending into said conduit portion, stop means carried by said rod within said conduit portion, and a float carried by the rod within said reservoir whereby rise and fall of liquid within said reservoir actuates said rod within said cap aperture to clean the'same.

2. In a sewer flushing system, a tank, a siphon of large capacity for periodically discharging liquid contents from said tank in response to the rapid rise of liquid in said tank above a predetermined level, an auxiliary tank positioned above said predeter- Vmined level, a second siphon for discharging liquid contents from said auxiliary tank into said first tank, said second siphonrequiring an initial flow of liquid in excess of a predetermined rate of flow to start its siphonic action, and having its discharge end positioned in said first tank substantially at said predetermined level, means for constantly supplying liquid to said auxiliary tank at less than said predetermined rate of flow, whereby liquid from said means fills said auxiliary tank and overflows through said econd siphon into said first tank without setting up'siphonic action in said second siphon until the liquid in said first tank rises to said predetermined level and contacts with the discharge end of saidsecond siphon to initiate siphonic action therein, whereby the contents of said auxiliary tank are quickly transferred to said first tank, thus producing a rapid rise of liquid in the first tank to start the siphonic action of the first siphon,

3. In a sewer flushing system, a tank, a

siphon of large capacity for periodically discharging liquid contents from Said tank, said siphon having a trap at its discharge end normally filled with liquid, the hydro static head of which prevents flow of liquid from said tank through said siphon until the liquid in said tank reaches a predetermined level'above the highest part of said siphon, an-auxiliary tank positioned above said predetermined level, a second siphon for discharging liquid contents from said auxiliary tank into said first tank, said second siphon requiring an initial'flow of liquid inexcess of a predetermined rate of flow to start its siphonic action, and havingits discharge end positioned in said first tank substantially at said predetermined level, means for constantly: supplying liquid to said auxiliary tank at less than said predetermined rate of flow, whereby liquid from said means fills said auxiliary tank and overflows through said second siphon into said first tank with 

